The Dagger: College Basketball Blog

WAC Preview: Utah State hopes to rebound from frustrating 2011-12 season

Yahoo! Sports is breaking down each league for the upcoming college basketball season working backward from No. 31 to No. 1. Here's a look at our No. 20 league, the WAC.

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Utah State won 23 or more games every season from 2000 to 2011 and advanced to the NCAA tournament eight of those years, a track record of consistency few programs can match.

Now the Aggies will take on a new, less familiar challenge: They're going to have to figure out how to bounce back from a frustrating season.

A fourth-place finish in the WAC and a CIT title game run might be reason to celebrate for some programs, but it was cause for hand wringing at Utah State. Not even seven wins in the Aggies' final nine games could salvage a season bogged down by injuries, inconsistent frontcourt play and a handful of unusual home losses.

Utah State doesn't appear formidable enough to contend for an at-large NCAA tournament berth in its final season before leaving for the Mountain West, but the Aggies do have the talent to improve on last year's results and make a run one last WAC title.

Any reason for optimism in Logan begins with Preston Medlin, the all-conference guard who averaged 17.0 points per game as a sophomore, showed the ability to get to the rim and shot 42.8 percent from behind the arc. Medlin's elevated play during the second half of last season contributed to Utah State's strong finish.

What will determine whether the Aggies can win the WAC is whether enough top-end talent behind Medlin emerges. Yuba College transfer Spencer Butterfield must emerge as a consistent outside shooter, Oklahoma State transfer Jarred Shaw must provide interior scoring and either Marcel Davis or TeNale Roland must shore up the point guard position now that Brockeith Pane has graduated.

Utah State's vulnerability creates opportunities for other programs, especially with fellow traditional WAC power Nevada already in the Mountain West.

Denver returns the core of a 21-win Sun Belt Conference team including WAC player of the year candidate Chris Udofia. New Mexico State graduated three starters off last year's NCAA tournament team, but the Aggies have promising sophomore guard Daniel Mullings and plenty of size inside. And even Louisiana Tech could surprise if the backcourt of Raheem Appleby and Alex Hamilton can carry the team.

MAKING A LISTBest shooter: Preston Medlin, Utah StateBest playmaker: Kenneth Smith, Louisiana TechBest defender: Jordan Reves, Texas-ArlingtonCoach on the rise: Michael White, Louisiana TechCoach on the hot seat: George Nessman, San Jose StateThree must-see games: 1. Saint Mary's at Utah State, Nov. 15 (Easily the best matchup on the Aggies' barren home schedule); 2. New Mexico at New Mexico State, Dec. 19 (Second of a back-to-back with the Lobos for New Mexico State); 3. Cal at Denver, Nov. 16 (Good opportunity for the Pioneers on their home floor)

FACTS AND FIGURESNew coaches: NoneRegular-season winner last season: NevadaTourney winner last season: New Mexico StateLeague RPI rank in each of past 3 seasons: 2011-12: 12th; 2010-11: 13th, 2009-10: 12thLast NCAA tourney win by a league team: 2007, Nevada as a No. 7 seed in first round